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#BS-2023-FOREXP-33C9

2023 Ford ExplorerProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 161 owners and 15 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
161
Crashes
12
Fires
4
Recalls
15
TSBs
164
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 161 complaints, 12 crashes, 4 fires, and 15 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

push button start failure

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
2

right front suspension failed causing accident

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the ElectricalHIGH

14 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 10K miles.

!Inspect the SuspensionMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

24
0–30K
5
30–60K
2
60–90K
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (24 reports) • Median: 10K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Electrical (14 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Other27 (17%)
Electrical14 (9%)
Suspension14 (9%)
Drivetrain12 (7%)
Steering12 (7%)
Engine11 (7%)
Structure:body7 (4%)
Visibility7 (4%)

2023 Ford Explorer: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2023 Ford Explorer, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 10,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 10K-mile mark.

Suspension Issues

Suspension complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2023 Ford Explorer, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2023 Ford Explorer, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2023 Ford Explorer, with 12 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

32
23
41
24
39
25
49
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2023 Ford Explorer. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (15 recalls)

23V022000Feb 2023

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

23V070000Apr 2023

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 F-150, Mustang, Explorer, Bronco, and 2023 Lincoln Aviator vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. The transmission may contain a loose bolt which could prevent the transmission from engaging the park gear, although the gear shifter position may indicate that the vehicle has been shifted to "PARK."

23V342000Nov 2023

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, and 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair vehicles equipped with a 360-degree camera. The video output may fail, preventing the rearview camera image from displaying.

23V597000Sep 2023

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PIPES, HOSES, AND FITTINGS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with 2.3L GTDI engines. The turbocharger oil supply line may be damaged, which can result in an oil leak inside the engine compartment.

23V686000Nov 2023

BACK OVER PREVENTION:DISPLAY FUNCTION

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Explorer vehicles equipped with a standard rearview camera. Due to a manufacturing error in the wire harness, the rearview camera may display a blue image on the SYNC screen when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

+ 10 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2023 Ford Explorer NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

The worst model year for the Ford Explorer is the 2006 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2023 Ford Explorer vs. Class Average (Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

This vehicle

161

Class avg

138

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other standard sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles from 2023.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 161 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 15 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Ford Explorer Model Years

20272026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198819871986
View all Ford Explorer years →

2023 Ford Explorer: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2023 Ford Explorer?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2023 Ford Explorer is related to the electrical, with 14 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2023 Ford Explorer reliable?
The 2023 Ford Explorer has 161 complaints, 12 crash reports, and 4 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How safe is the 2023 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA rates the 2023 Ford Explorer 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2023 Ford Explorer problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2023 Ford Explorer have any recalls?
Yes, the 2023 Ford Explorer has 15 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford Explorer problems start?
Based on 31 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 10,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2023 Ford Explorer data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 161 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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